2024 08 08 FCCT The day after What happened to the Move Forward, and what does it mean?

On 7 August, the Constitutional Court will decide whether to dissolve the Move Forward Party (MFP), which won the largest percentage of votes and most parliamentary seats in the May 2023 election. The case against is based on an election commission petition that the MFP’s pledge -- and a legislative motion in support of that position -- to reform the lese-majeste law constitutes an effort to overthrow the country’s system of governance.
If the court agrees, MFP could be abolished and all members of its executive committee, including its former leader Pita Limjaroenrat, punished with ten-year bans on political activity.
What impact will the court’s verdict be and what will it mean for the 14 million Thais who voted for MFP? What will it mean for the reform movement, which included a number of parties including the Pheu Thai Party which is the leading party in the government coalition, that ran on an extensive reform agenda? What are the implications for Thailand’s relations with other governments, especially from North America and Europe, which PM Srettha’s administration has been actively courting for increased foreign investment? And what does this all say about respect for civil and political liberties in Thailand?
These will be among the topics addressed by our distinguished panel, which will include:
Kasit Piromya, former foreign minister and Thai representative of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights.
Sunai Phasuk, senior researcher on Thailand, Human Rights Watch.
Representative of the Move Forward Party (to be confirmed).
Punchada Sirivunnabood, associate professor, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University.
Moderator: Phil Robertson, FCCT board member.